Automatic telephone-responder.



M. B. HAMACHER & I. McCUTCHAN.

AUTOMATHC TELEPHONE RESPONDER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22. I9I6.

1,277,57 Patented Sept. 3, 1918 F 1 3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESS: #1

M .4 TTORNEY Patented Sept. 8, 1918.v

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVEN TOR$ H N M T T A AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE RESPONDER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22. 1916.

M. B. HAMACHER & I; McCUTCHAN.

IV/TNESS.

M. B. HAMACHE-R & l. McCUTCHAN.

AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE RESPONDER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22.1916.

1 ,27?,57@ Patented Sept. 3, 1918 3 $HEETSSHEET 3.

5 9 i in 171 m5 71,2? 75 WITNESS. I f7? JW 774C 7% .4 TTORNE y MARYBASSETT HAMACH ER AND IGNATIUS MGCUTCHAN, OF WINDSOR, MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE-RESPONDER.

Specification of Letters Patent. 1 P t nt d Sept, 3, 1918.,

Application filed November 22, 1916. Serial No. 132,890.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MARY BASSETT HAM- ACHER and IGNATIUS MOCUTCHAN,citizens of the United States, residing at Windsor, in the county ofHenry and State of Mis-- souri, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Automatic Telephone- Responders, of which the followingis a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in Automatic telephone responders.

The object of our invention is to provide a novel automatically actuateddevice for answering a telephone call, in a manner such that the personcalling at the other end of the line will hear in his receiver certainpredetermined signals or messages as it may be desired to have sent tohim. For example, a person calling up a telephone provided withour'improvement may receive the message Mr. Brown will be back at 2oclock or such other message as may be desired to have delivered.

A further object of our invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described which will be simple in construction and not liableto get out of order, and which may be readily operated by an unskilledperson.

The novel features of our invention are hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate our invention,

Figure 1 is a side view of our improved automatic signaling device shownpartly in Vertical section and partly in side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the same, the casing being shown in horizontalsection.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the same, the easing being shown in verticalsection.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. .5 is a fragmental view in side elevation of some of the parts.

Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a reduced side elevation of the casing.

- Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 88of Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of the elec trical circuits employed inconnection with our device. a

Similar reference characters designate similar parts in thedifferentviews.

1 designatesan inclosing casing, on the bottom of which is mounted abase plate 2, from which upwardly extend standards 3, in

which is rotatably mounted a horizontal londesired message which theoperator of the machine may desire to have transmitted to any callerover his telephone line during the absence of the operator.

A'reproducer 8, of any ordinary type and provided with a stylus 9, Fig.3, adapted to travel in any one of the grooves 7 is prois pivoted andlongitudinally 'slidable on a horizontal bar 11 which is disposed,parallel with the axis of the record 6, and which has its ends mountedin two standards 12 which extend upwardly from the base 2. Secured tothe arm 10 and extending through a slot vided with an arm 10, which atits lower end 13 in one side of the casingl is a finger piece 14:, theupper side of which is provided with a tooth 15, which is adapted toenter any one of a row of notches 16, Fig. 7, at the upper side of theslot 13, so as to lock the arm 10 releasably from longitudinal movementon the bar 11.

The reproducer 8 rests by gravity in the operative position, shown inFig. 3. By depressing the finger piece 14, the reproducer may be swungupwardly to a position in which the stylus 9 will be disengaged. fromthe record. At the same time, the tooth 15 will be forced out of thenotch 16 in which it has rested. The arm 10 carrying the reproducer 8may then be adjusted lengthwise of the bar 11 to the desired position.The notches 16 are similar in number and spaced apart the same distanceas the grooves 7.

When the reproducer is in operative position, and the record 6 isrevolved, the phonogram in the groove 7 which 1s engaged by the stylus9, will operate the reproducer 8.

Mounted on the reproducer 8 is a telephone transmitter of any ordinarytype arranged to be operated by the reproducer.

' In the form shown, the stylus 9is carried by a lever 17, Fig. 3,pivoted to a weighted bar 18, which is pivoted at one end to the casingof the reproducer 8. Connected to the lever 17 is a small rod 19, whichis secured to a diaphragm 20, Fig. 9, of the telephone transmitter. Uponthe diaphragm 20 'is granulated carbon 21, or some other suitablevariable resistance material, upon which rests an electrode 22 connectedby aconductor 23 with a battery 24,- which is connected to the diaphragm20v and includes the primary coil or winding of an induct-ion coil, the.secondary coil 26 of which is placed-in the telephone circuit, whichincludes the two line wires 27 and 28. which are respectively connectedto the opposite ends of the wind. ing 26. The reniainder of the circuitis not illustrated as it embodies the ordinary telephone circuitconstruction, which is well known.

For automatically rotating the shaft 4, there is provided an ordinaryflat involute spring 29, one end of which is secured to the shaft 4 andthe other end of which is fastened to a rod 30 having its ends mountedin the standards 3.

Secured to the shaft 4 is a collar 31. which is provided with a notch 32adapted to receive a pawl 33, Fig. 4, which is pivoted to the adjacentend of the head 5 by a screw 34 and which is normally forced against thecollar 31 by a spring 35, which is also secured to the head 5.

The spring 29 is arrangedso as to rotate the shaft 4 counter-clock-wise,as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4, thereby turning the head 5 and record 6 in alike direction.

The pawl and collar connection between the shaft 4 and head 5 is topermit the shaft 4 to be turned .so as to wind the spring 29, withoutturning the head 5 and record 6. The outer end of the shaft 4 may besquared, as shown, to permit a key or winding crank, not shown, to beattached thereto.

For the purpose of normally holding the head 5 and record 6 fromturning, the head 5 at one end is provided with a notch 36, Figs. 4 and9. which is adapted to receive a locking detent 37 comprising ahorizontally slidable solenoid core, which is normally forced intooperative position by a coil spring 38, Fig. 8. and which is mounted inthe central opening of a solenoid winding 39. the ends of which arerespectively connected to conductors 40 and 41. Fig. 9. which arerespectively connected to the conductors 27 and 28. The conductor 41 isprovided with a pivoted switch or cut-out lever 42, which is shown inthe closed position in Fig. 9.

\Vhen a pre-determined current, such as a current for ringing thetelephone bell passes over the circuit which includes the conductors 27and 28. if the switch 42 is closed. a portion of the current will passthrough the winding 39, thus energizing the solenoid and causing thecore 37 to be withdrawn from engagement with the head 5.

to be turned through the intermediacy of the head 5 and shaft 4, and thestylus 9 of the reproducer traveling in the groove in which it islocated, will be actuated by the phonogram in said groove and willinturn actuate the transmitter diaphragm 20, through the intermediacy ofthe lever 17 and rod 19. The message which is comprised in the phonogramwill thus be transmitted in the usual manner by the transmitter, and theperson, who is at the other end of the line at the time will receive themessage in his receiver as telephone messages are usually received.

In order that the record 6 shall be rotated at the proper speed, thefollowing described mechanism is preferably employed.

Rigidly secured to the shaft 4, see Figs. 5, (Sand 8, is a collar 43, onwhich is pivoted a lever 44, one arm of which is adapted to strike a pin45, which is provided on the ad jacent side of a spur gear wheel 46which meshes with a vertical rack 47. Fig. 4, which is verticallyslidable and which is secured to the upper end of a vertical rod 48which is slidable in the upper end of a vertical dash pot. 49.preferably containing oil and in which is reciprocatively mounted apiston 50 which is secured to the lower end of the rods 48 and which isprovided with a vertical hole 51 which forms a by-pass.

. As soon as the shaft 4 begins to revolve, it carries with it thecollar 43, and the lever 44 carried thereby engages the pin 45 and turnsthe spur gear wheel 46 counter clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 4, therebylifting the rack 47 and the piston head 50, the' upward movement ofwhich is resisted by the liquid in the dash pot 49.

. The dash pot, thus, in the usual manner, governs the turning of theshaft 4, so that the latter and the record 6 travels at the requiredspeed. j

After the shaft 4 hasmade nearly one revolution, the free end of thelever 44 strikes a pin 52, thereby swinging the lever 44 so that itbecomes disengaged from the pin 45, whereupon the spur gear wheel 46,which is loosely mounted on the shaft 4, is free. to revolve. and therack 47 and piston head 50 will fall by gravity to the initial positionshown in Fig." 4. The continued rotation of the shaft 4 will carry thecollar 43 and lever 44 to the initial position shown in Fig. 6, at whichtime the solenoid core 37 will have entered the recess or notch 36, andthe head 5 and shaft 4, as well as the record 6 will stop. The pin 52 issecured to one of the standards 3. A spring 53 secured to the collar 43serves to force the lever 44 to position for engaging the pin 45.

In operating the responder, the operator adjusts the finger piece 14, asbefore described, so that the stylus 9 of the repro- 55 and rotate earwheel, means for releasmitter, upon which the message will betransmitted to the distant station, which is calling at the time, andthe person at that station having his receiver at his ear will hear themessage which is being transmitted.

As soon as the record has made one revolution, the ringing current overthe line having ceased by this time, and the solenoid core 37 beingfreed from the action of the winding 39, will be forced by the spring 38a into the notch 36, thereby stopping the rec- 0rd in the initialposition. The solenoid is unresponsive to the talking current.

The apparatus is-now in position for another operation. k

We do not limit our invention to the structure shown and described, asmodifications, within the scope of the..-'appended claims, may be madewithout departing from the spirit of our invention.

\Vhat we claim is 1. In an automatic telephone responder, thecombination with a rotary phonograph record support, of means forrotating said support, means including a dash-pot for controlling thespeed of rotation of said support, an electric circuit including ahelix, a magnetizable locking member movable out of locking engagementwith said support by said fhelix, when the latter is energized, means-for normally forcing said locking memberto the locking position, andmeans for disconnecting the dash-pot controlling means from saidsupportat the end of each revolution of the support and for connectlngthe dash-pot controlling means with said support at the beginning ofeach revolution thereof. a r 2. In an automatic telephone responder, the.combination' with record supporting means, of means for rotating saidrecord supporting means,a gear wheel rotatable on said supportingmeans,a lever carried by saidsupporting means adapted to engage ing said leverom said gear wheel after said supporting means has made one revolu- Ition, a rack engaging said gear wheel, and a dash-pot having aplungersecured to and movable with said rack.

3. In an automatic telephone responder, the combination with a rotaryrecord support, means for rotating said support, a gear Wheel rotatableon said support, means carried by said support for engaging and carryingwith it said gear wheel, means by which said engaging and carrying meansis dis- 7 engaged 'from said gear wheel during each revolution of saidsupport, a rack meshmg with said gear wheel, a dash-pot plunger movablewith said rack, and electro-Inagnetic locking means for controlling therot-ation of said record support.

4. In an automatic telephone responder, the combination with a rotaryrecord support, of means for rotating said support in one direction,thesupport having a notch, a solenoid winding, a solenoid core adaptedto enter said notch for holding said support from turning and movableout of said notch by said winding when the latter is energized,

means for normally forcing said core into said notch, a pawl carried bysaid record support,'a gear wheel rotatable onsaid record support andadapted to be engaged by said pawl so as to rotate with said support, aspring for normally forcing said pawl into engagement with said gearwheel, means for engaging said pawl and swmgmg it out of engagement withsaid gear wheel once during each revolution of said support, a rackengaging with said gear wheel, and a dashpot having a plunger connectedand movable with saidrack.

5. In an automatic telephone responder, the combination with a rotaryrecord support comprising a rotary shaft and a head revoluble on saidshaft and adapted to carr a record, of means for rotating said sha t inone direction, electro-magnetically controlled means for engaging saidhead to hold it from rotating, a collar having a peripheral notchsecured to said shaft, a pawl pivoted to said head and adapted to entersaid notch, a gear wheel rotatable on said shaft, a pawl carried by saidshaft and adapted to engage and carry'with it sald gear wheel, means fordisengaging the second named pawl from said gear wheel, once during eachrevolution of the shaft, a dash-pot 'hav-' inga reciprocative plunger,and a rack meshing with said gear wheel and connected to and movablewith said plunger.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

. N I BASSETT i i CHER IGNATIUS MCCUTCHAN.

